# Temeraire by Naomi Novik



## Harlequin (Dec 31, 2009)

_OKAY_ so I got these books for Christmas. I started reading them the day after Boxing Day (Dec. 28) and I've almost finished the first five. I know there are fans out here because I was _introduced_ to Temeraire by some #tcod guys (surskitty, nwt, midnight [maybe opal? <also <3 nesting>] represent) and I felt like sharing.

<3 Temeraire. I'm, like, fanboying it _so hard_ right now. It's shot up on the list of "my favourite books".

I can't even pick a favourite so far, really. Also also also I hope she writes nine books instead of seven, because I <3 it that much I would like to buy another four books instead of two. :(


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## Zuu (Dec 31, 2009)

I'm sorry, but I just looked at the Wikipedia article and it sounds stupid as hell. Sell me on them?


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## departuresong (Dec 31, 2009)

Dezzuu said:


> I'm sorry, but I just looked at the Wikipedia article and it sounds stupid as hell. Sell me on them?


My first imperssion of the article, too.


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## Butterfree (Dec 31, 2009)

Sell you on them? Well, it works. It's a concept that could be handled extremely poorly, but it's not. The worldbuilding is very thorough, she makes every aspect of how dragons would be used in the military feel realistic, some of the characters are just wonderful (primarily Temeraire himself), the handling of human/sentient nonhuman relations in different cultures is interesting, and she truly manages to make you feel Napoleon's military genius when you realize that no matter what the English main characters have been doing the whole book to improve their standing in the war, France is always two steps ahead because Napoleon is just that good.

They're not perfect, but they're extremely enjoyable and interesting to read.


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## Harlequin (Dec 31, 2009)

I'll second that. Temeraire is _such_ a dear. He's so sweet and and and  <3. As a concept it could have been handled extremely poorly, as Butterfree said, but it _wasn't_. The characters are all really well done and you honestly feel for them. The way she set up her changed world is truly amazing, and she's done it very, very well.

It sounds stupid until you read it, and when you have, you'll understand. The relationship between the British and the dragons is really quite interesting when you contrast it with the Chinese/dragon relations, and later on with the French as well, and she's succeeded in integrating dragons into our world better than perhaps anyone I've seen try.

Plus Temeraire is so adorable. <3


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## surskitty (Dec 31, 2009)

I was very fond of the dragon-human relations in that one African tribe, too.


They're well-written, pretty much every character is likable (except for Levitas's captain....), they're well-researched, they make sense....

Also!  
DRAGONS
DOING
CALCULUS


GO READ THEM ALREADY holy fuck :(


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## Whereismywonderland (Feb 12, 2010)

I have the first five books, but I've only actually read to around 1/5th of the second book. :( I don't have a lot of patience for reading, but holy fudgenuckles. This series is so far one of the top ideas I've seen in a looooong time. Hearing others talk about the books is making me want to read them (and finish what I've got >.>)!!
Favourite species thus far: Fleur-de-Nuit

(OOC: It would have been REALLY weird if I'd chosen the first name that came to mind instead of _Whereismywonderland_, which was _Harlequin Ry_. Talk about coincidences!)


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## Adriane (Feb 12, 2010)

I enjoyed the first one. I need to read the others, I'm just a lazy reader.


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## Aisling (Feb 13, 2010)

How did I miss this thread?! I didn't know so many of you guys were into Temeraire. I mentioned it in a thread on the old forums and everybody was like "eh" or "I read a review of it once". I might have mentioned it the other night I was on IRC, somebody asked for book suggestions or something.

I'm pretty sure I caught the first book when they were doing the back-to-back, one-book-a-month release for the first three books over here. That's how it went, right? I have all five and read all five.

They're written very well. After I read them for a while in one sitting I forget that dragons aren't real. I wish the premise were easier to explain briefly to other people without it sounding really dumb, when I'm trying to get my friends interested. It does sound far-fetched until you give it a chance.

Just out of curiosity, did anyone else miss the sentence in the first chapter of His Majesty's Dragon that's like, the only mention of Laurence's haircolor?


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## surskitty (Feb 13, 2010)

I never remember details about character appearances :B


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## Aisling (Feb 13, 2010)

When I finally found a bunch of Temeraire fanart, Laurence was blonde in every picture, and that's when I went back to the first book and discovered that it actually says he is. :B He's forever cemented in my mind as having short black hair instead of blonde hair in a ponytail now...


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